By Richard Mellor | Updated 3rd January 2026

Saturday night telly has properly kicked into gear now. The Traitors is back (finally), there's a cracking new Dennis Kelly drama about philosophy in prison, and if you're still in bits about Bowie a decade on, Channel 4 has something for you. Here's what's worth your time tonight.

Table of Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight's Best

  • ⭐ Waiting for the Out - BBC One, 9.30pm — New Dennis Kelly drama. Philosophy in prison. Josh Finan is brilliant.
  • The Traitors - BBC One, 7.45pm — The backstabbing begins again. Claudia's cloaks are out.
  • Bowie: The Final Act - Channel 4, 10pm — Moving tribute marking 10 years since we lost the Starman.
  • 40 Duets at the BBC - BBC Two, 9pm — Archival gold. Kylie & Jason to Kate Bush & Peter Gabriel.

Early Evening: Family Viewing (6:30pm - 8pm)

The Masked Singer - ITV1, 6.30pm

Red Panda! Moth! Disc Jockey! Sloth! Gargoyle! Can of Worms! Yes, it's the return of the daftest show on telly. The first batch of masked celebs make their debut tonight, and the judges are already making wild guesses. Goldfish is fronting the band this year, which tells you everything about the level of bonkers we're dealing with. Good fun if you've got the family round.

The Traitors - BBC One, 7.45pm

The Traitors

Here we go again. After the celebrity edition hoovered up all the attention, the civilian version returns. It's week one, so spare a thought for whoever gets banished tonight - nobody ever remembers those poor sods who go out first. Claudia Winkleman is back in her fabulous cloaks, and the Scottish castle has never looked more menacing. If you've somehow avoided The Traitors until now, this is a cracking jumping-on point.

Prime Time Drama (9pm onwards)

40 Duets at the BBC - BBC Two, 9pm

A nostalgia trip through the Beeb's music archives. We're talking Kylie and Jason, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Eminem and Dido (remember that?), Meat Loaf and Cher, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, George Michael and Aretha Franklin. If you've got any love for pop music from the last 50 years, this'll have you glued.

Waiting for the Out - BBC One, 9.30pm ⭐

Josh Finan has been on a serious roll lately - Say Nothing and The Responder were both stonking - and he leads this new drama from Dennis Kelly (Pulling, Together). He plays Dan, a philosopher teaching in a prison for the first time, which dredges up his own unresolved issues with his violent father.

Based on Andy West's memoir, it's the classroom interactions that really grip you. There's something fascinating about watching inmates grapple with philosophical concepts, and Kelly's dialogue is as sharp as ever. One to stick with.

The Traitors: Uncloaked - BBC One, 9pm

The companion show where Ed Gamble unpacks what just happened. Useful if you need help working out who's lying through their teeth.

Late Night: For the Night Owls

Bowie: The Final Act - Channel 4, 10pm

Bowie: The Final Act

It's been a decade since David Bowie died, and things have been fairly grim since, haven't they? This affecting film traces those mixed years - the Tin Machine experiments, that Glastonbury performance - before the flame roared back with The Next Day. And then, of course, Blackstar: that strategic, graceful farewell that still gets me. Have tissues ready.

The Hunting Wives - ITV1, 10pm

Trashy Texas housewives drama that's been sizzling away nicely. Malin Akerman's Margo is ringleader, Brittany Snow's Sophie is the newcomer getting pulled into her orbit, and Jaime Ray Newman's Callie is seething with jealousy. Plus there's a dead woman in the woods. It's daft, it's addictive, and it knows exactly what it is.

If You're Not Into Reality TV

Planet Earth III: Wonders of Nature - BBC Two, 8pm

Planet Earth III: Wonders of Nature

If competitive backstabbing and masked celebrities aren't your bag, Attenborough and co are serving up the planet's greatest hits. Absolutely stunning footage as always, and a reminder of what we're slowly destroying. Cheerful!

Wheel of Fortune - ITV1, 8pm

Graham Norton spinning the wheel. Comfortable viewing if you want something completely undemanding.

What's on Streaming

Netflix: Still pushing Squid Game season 2, obviously. Worth a look if you enjoyed the first.

Disney+: The final episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are landing. Decent Star Wars if you've been following.

iPlayer: Catch up on Waiting for the Out straight after broadcast if you miss the start.

The Viewing Schedule

Time Channel Programme
6.30pm ITV1 The Masked Singer
7.45pm BBC One The Traitors
8.00pm BBC Two Planet Earth III: Wonders of Nature
8.00pm ITV1 Wheel of Fortune
9.00pm BBC One The Traitors: Uncloaked
9.00pm BBC Two 40 Duets at the BBC
9.30pm BBC One Waiting for the Out ⭐
10.00pm Channel 4 Bowie: The Final Act
10.00pm ITV1 The Hunting Wives

Live Sport Today

  • Premier League: Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest (noon, Sky Sports Premier League) | Bournemouth v Arsenal (5pm)
  • Rugby: Bath v Exeter (2.30pm, TNT Sports 1) | Northampton v Harlequins (5.15pm)
  • Darts: World Championship Final (8pm, Sky Sports Main Event) — The big one at Alexandra Palace
  • Cricket: Australia v England (10.30pm, TNT Sports 1) — Day one of the fifth Test at the SCG

Final Verdict

Make Waiting for the Out your priority tonight - Dennis Kelly rarely misses, and Josh Finan is having a moment. The Traitors is essential if you're into that sort of thing (and who isn't at this point?), and the Bowie documentary is a must for fans. Solid Saturday all round.

Looking for tomorrow's TV? Check back for our Sunday guide.

All times shown are for London/ITV1 London/BBC One London regions. Check your local listings for regional variations.